Muscle Cars
Give Me Muscle Cars, Not Super Car
By Mark Weisseg
I just received my bundle of car magazines over the weekend and as typical the magazines did what I thought they would do. First story; Ferrari, second story; Lamborghini, third story; Aston Martin. Fourth story; I trashed it. It appears these magazines have lost touch with “us”. Us, the regular guys.
How many of us are really looking seriously at buying anyone of these cars? I would bet next to zero. Most of us regular people are looking at cars that have a purpose in our life along with some excitement.
Sure the paper mags have covered the Hellcat, New Camaro and the new Mustang GT350 to death. So, what do they fill up the pages with? Their answer is cars none of us regular guys can afford or possibly even think about.
How many of you think you will buy a DB11? Or the new Ferrari? I understand there are specialty magazines out there for your antique car or truck or the other side of the coin, the so called super car. But, come on. These magazines I am referring to once focused on the Chevrolets, Fords and Mopar’s.
Now, you might get a long term test of a Subaru or sweaty palms about the Camry. I know the mags are in business to make a profit and to fill the pages with advertisers. Between Weathertec and Tire Rack the magazines are filled with high end crap. What do I care if the new Honda NSX is hitting the showrooms. The sales of the NSX are nothing compared to the big three. Now, I know one cannot write about the Hellcat month after month but let’s get real. How do we get real? Drop them.
My interests are in some antique cars but for the most part they are focused on fast muscle cars. I don’t want seven pages of a Lambo criss crossing the country like a travel louge. They post pictures of the new Lambo at Mt Rushmore and describe in detail how these professional drivers and all there high tech gear got caught in a freakish snow storm coming out of the mountain. Who cares?
Most people will never own a so called super car. The super cars I want to feast my eyes and ears on are the cars I may own someday. How is a three year old Challenger with a Hellcat engine performing? How about a regular guy or gal driving and evaluating a two year Camaro.
Some of us cannot afford a 65k Challenger brand new. We need to wait a few years to allow the budget to catch up. I want to know how a used Mustang or a used Focus is holding up. So, what is the answer? The answer is our web site and ones like it. Real cars, real stories and real results from real people. I don’t want to see some model coming off his G550 and getting into his Ferrari. I want to know more about the Corvette and the real possibility of a mid engine. Or, is a paddle shifter possible on a Mustang. Items and articles about the real world of cars. I do get monthly mags that are focused. I am a member of the Model A club so I get stores and articles all about them. Same with Mustangs. I belong to a local Mustang club and the attention is all Mustang. Not how my new NSX handles in the rain. I don’t have a NSX and never will.
I love all our classics. I really do. I love the 69 Z28 and hope to park one in my garage some day. So, I want focused articles. I also desire to acquire a used Hellcat Challenger in the future. So, with that thought I desire articles about the car after the new car scent is long gone. So, no more for me. When the subscriptions run out that is it.
But, my answer is easy. I now will focus my attention on web sites that are focused on real cars for the real world.
I live in a somewhat upscale neighborhood. I watch the cars drive by to there garages and other than a sprinkling of a Mercedes or a BMW most are just regular cars driven by regular people. The men of the area hope they can raise there children and then someday buy a car of there desires like I did. Nobody has a Lambo, a Ferrari, a Aston or a even a Maserati. So why bother subscribing to magazines that we cannot relate too?
When I go to events like SEMA or a big auction there is always a section outside to test drive these regular cars. The lines are long to get a minute behind the wheel of a Hellcat , Mustang or Camaro. I never get a chance to do that as I refuse to stand in line for an hour to drive something for one minute in a parking lot. But hundreds do because they dream of owning a car like those present and I hope they get that dream someday.
But I don’t see Ferrari test drives at these events. Why bother? They save those drives for a clientele that they know will buy them. It’s smart business for them. So when I get hate mail or threats from the super car people I will ignore them. When I get mail from our big three I pay attention. I want a new Corvette and could swing one. But GM has never pursued me to buy one. Shame on them. All I am saying after all these words is for you to rethink what you are paying for. Do you want five pages of the new Porsche that you will never own? Or, would you like to know from a fellow how his Charger is doing? The only way I see that happening anymore is to dig a bit deeper and hit the web sites. If you own a American Classic our web site will give you endless information so when you finally get the money needed you buy a car that has been through it all from people just like you. It’s that easy.
In conclusion, I made a bet with myself. I am heading to Mecum soon, then SEMA and finally Barrett Jackson and I will bet the majority interests will be in what you and I love. Who gives a rats rear end what the new BMW looks like.
We want to know if there is a chance we can buy a true classic American car that has proven itself over a period of time. Give me a Vette to long term test and I will give you an honest review. I am not swayed by subscription numbers or a fear of a bad review might cost me a job. I have told all of you in the past that I love my Road Runner but it has it’s faults like any other car. So, when I get off the Southwest 737 and rent a crummy mid size car for a few days you can understand my reviews reflect honesty.
Cancel the magazines and read them at the dentist. They have gone soft on us and as the Internet magazines increase the paper prints have steadily decreased. Look at newspaper subscriptions. They are in the toilet. Why read yesterday’s news when you can read today’s news right now. Same with car magazines. While the big mags cater to certain car makers we at the new wave are reviewing what we drove this morning. Gadzooks!
More Muscle Cars For Sale – http://fastmusclecar.com/muscle-car-for-sale/
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